The 21st annual Primer Pie Contest took place Wed. Oct. 16, and was the culmination of the primer students’ Texas State Fair unit.
The state fair unit teaches the primer students about the history and preparations dedicated to the Texas State Fair.
“We wanted to do some kind of big project to finish up our unit,” primer teacher Janice LaMendola said.
The primer pie contest is an opportunity for primer students, primer families and faculty to bake pies and enter them into a competition. The pies are divided into three categories: sweet, savory and most creative.
Greenhill community members from all divisions are invited to taste and vote on the pies. Once all votes are in, the primer students count the votes and announce the winners.
“Preparing for the pie contest takes a lot of time and effort,” LaMendola said.
Additionally, LaMendola shared how the contest’s preparations also help teach the primer kids to be independent.
“The kids do all the work themselves,” LaMendola said.
In preparation for the contest, primer students practice fractions using pies, work on their ability to work precisely by creating their own Big Tex and make placemats for each of the pies.
“There is a lot of academics that go into it,” LaMendola said. “The best part is there are lots of social and emotional learning opportunities for [primerstudents].”
Additionally, during the preparation for the contest, primer students had the opportunity to visit the State Fair of Texas while Big Tex was being installed.
“The kids are always very excited about that,” LaMendola said. “We have been doing that for years and years.”
Another aspect of primer’s preparation for the contest involves individuals who are connected to the official fair coming to visit the primer classroom.
One visitor primer had this year was Upper School English teacher Blake Harkey’s mother, who is a judge at the state fair.
“She came in and talked to us about being a judge at the food contest and the creative arts center,” LaMendola said.
LaMendola says the pie contest assists in teaching the primer students how to connect with new people and become comfortable within the Greenhill community.
“When we have 100 or more visitors come in, they have no problem taking the hand of someone they have never met before and explaining what’s going on,” LaMendola said.
The winners of this year’s contest were primer student Clara Hu for most creative, Director of Summer on the Hill Johnny Thompson for best savory pie and fourth grade literacy teacher Laura Flanagan for best sweet pie.
